Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Admiral Radley - "Ghosts of Syllables": "There are some AM Gold moments in this tune - and I mean that in a good way - but it still feels fresh. The "aaahs" are particularly pretty and I love when Aaron declares 'I'm out of sync, yeah it's nothing new / and loneliness I am nothing to'. Folks, if you still don't know, this band is Grandaddy + Earlimart together and you need to love it now, particularly if you liked either band before!"

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Autolux - "Transit Transit": "The title track of the new Autolux album is kind of the opposite of what you'd expect after their first album. Sigur Ros-style high-range vocals backed by simple piano and skittish drum programming (the effect of which recalls later-period Radiohead without actually sounding like them) create an almost calm counter-balance to the excellent unease of their debut. As horns burst out at the end of the song, the tune ends with a muted majesty. Welcome back, Autolux. My only complaint is that there's not enough of Carla Azar's amazing drumming on this record, but I'm getting used to it.'

Friday, August 20, 2010

Queens of the Stone Age - "Born To Hula": "Pummeling. From the pounding drum intro, through the heavy riffs to the extended jam at the end, the whole song is just pummeling, in the best way possible. It's one of my favorite QOTSA songs, despite being a b-side (and a re-record of an earlier Kyuss song, at that)."

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Rebecca Gates - "The Seldom Scene": "Ex-Spinanes frontwoman moves beyond the raw indie rock of her previous band and channels her inner chanteuse on this solo debut, particularly on this jazzy, sultry - yet grounded - lead track. I don't know if it sounds more like a calm Sunday morning or the middle of the night, but it's warm and sweet either way. Rebecca, where have you been in the nine years since you put this out??"

Monday, August 16, 2010

Florence & The Machine - "You've Got The Love": "I first heard this in Australia earlier this year, where the track was a single. All the recent Florence hullabaloo made me remember it and check it out again. It's a really nice slice of lush, but not staid, AC pop with forceful vocals."

Friday, August 13, 2010

Lindstrom and Christabelle - "Lovesick": "This tune is minimal Euro-disco and it's bad-ass. I first heard it when Bear In Heaven covered it live (apparently as a counterpart to their own tune "Lovesick Teenagers") when I saw them live the other week, but it took my west coast pals Andy & Cas to point me at the original."

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Roxette - "Joyride": "I have no idea why this came into my head today, although I do chuckle at that part near the end where they yell out "Roxette!". I always think it's so funny when bands call themselves out in their songs..."

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Starflyer 59 - "Cry Me A River": "Starflyer 59 is back! They're still very much in the mellow-yet-rocking vein of their last album (no radical sound shifts this time around), but that brings more gems like this one. It takes the harder riffs of I Am The Portuguese Blues, mixes in some of the T.Rex-isms from Old and blends it with the laid back sheen of Dial M. If you dig the SF59, you'll get all that."